1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to tube dispensers, and more particularly pertains to a dispenser for squeezing the contents from different types of tubes in a controlled fashion. A variety of products such as tub and tile caulk are sold in squeezable tubes. Presently, no dispenser is available to inexpensively, conveniently and accurately dispense the contents of such tubes at a desired rate on a specific location. In order to solve this problem, the present invention provides a simple ratchet actuated dispenser for squeezing the contents from these types of tubes.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Various types of tube dispensers are known in the prior art. A typical example of such a tube dispenser is to be found in U.S. Pat. No. 3,987,939, which issued to M. Pedone, Jr. et al on Oct. 26, 1976. This patent discloses a caulking gun for use with conventional disposable cartridges. Such cartridges comprise a tube formed of coated cardboard which is filled with a material to be extruded. One end of the tube is open and is fitted with a plunger which is separate from the tube and which is adapted to be pushed through the tube to extrude the material from the opposite end. That opposite end is fitted with a metal closure having an integral nozzle. To dispense the extruded material, the user first snips off the end of the integral nozzle at a point which will produce a desired bead thickness. The user then punctures the seal through the now open nozzle and then actuates the caulking gun to extrude the material. This type of conventional caulking gun is not suitable for use with squeeze type tubes. U.S. Pat. No. 3,985,273, which issued to G. Davis, Jr. on Oct. 12, 1976, discloses a caulking gun for use with plunger type cartridges. The caulking gun is constructed as an adaptor for attachment to an electric hand drill. The drill actuates a sliding plunger to extrude material from the cartridge. This dispenser is not suitable for use with squeeze type tubes. U.S. Pat. No. Des. 285,895, which issued to J. Cox on Sept. 30, 1986, discloses a plunger type caulking gun for use with disposable plunger type cartridges. A pivotal ratchet actuation lever is utilized to advance a plunger to extrude material from a disposable cartridge. U.S. Pat. No. Des. 246,221, which issued to J. Cox on Nov. 1, 1977, discloses a caulking gun having a pivotal actuation lever for advancing a plunger to extrude material from disposable plunger type cartridges. U.S. Pat. No. Des. 170,428, which issued to W. Peterson on Sept. 15, 1953, discloses a caulking gun which utilizes a pivotal ratchet actuation lever for extending a toothed plunger rod to extrude material from disposable plunger type cartridges. U.S. Pat. No. Des. 181,600, which issued to G. Nilsson on Dec. 3, 1957, discloses a caulking gun which utilizes a pivotal actuation lever to advance a plunger rod to extrude material from a conventional disposable plunger type cartridges. The caulking gun has an enclosed cylindrical housing for receiving the disposable cartridge.
While the above mentioned devices are suited for their intended usage, none of these devices is suitable for dispensing material from a squeeze type tube of the type utilized with various types of tub and tile caulk. Inasmuch as the art is relatively crowded with respect to these various types of tube dispensers, it can be appreciated that there is a continuing need for and interest in improvements to such tube dispensers, and in this respect, the present invention addresses this need and interest.